Latch



Jan. 3l, 1933. R, G, MOQRE 1,895,893

LATCH Filed Sept. 27, 1930 34- 33 ze J fg 36 ifs 4 37 4f j; I 'V Y INVENTOR. t5/Hmmm EMDDRE A TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATESj Pa'rlszN'ry OFFICE RAYKOND G. IOOBE, F IBBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOIR. TO THE -BASSICK COIPANY, 0F BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT LATCH Application led September 27, 1930. Serial No. 484,837.

The resent invention relates to latches, articu arly for automobile doors, and has or an object to provide a latch in which the handle shaft is adapted to be'automatically secured against looseness or rattling irrespec tive of variations in size between the shaft and the shaft receiving aperture of the rollback.

A further object is to rovide a construction in which the handle s aft may be readil inserted into relation with the latch wit facility and without the necessity of employing special tools, keys, and the like. It' is particularly proposed to provide a latch in which the roll-back is adapted to permit free insertion of the shaft by relieving the pressure of the bolt thereon, and thereupon is adapted to grip the shaft at opposed sides throu h the application of such pressure. It is furt er proposed, in one embodiment of the invention to automatically secure the handle shaft so that it cannot be removed by unauthorized persons, when the latch is locked, should such persons succeed in disengaging the escutcheon plate, which is ordinarily the only means for retaining the handle shaft against longitudinal movement.

With the above and other objects in view, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompan ing drawing, and these embodiments w' be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan elevation of an automobile door latch, according to one embodiment of the invention, the handle shaft being shown in section. Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, with parts broken awa of the roll-back portion of the latch, and s owing the same in the position in which the handle shaft is inserted.

Fi 4 shows the same in the normal secured relation with the pressure of the bolt applied to the roll-back.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, and showing a modified form of shaft adapted to be secured a ainst looseness and locked against longitudinal withdrawal.

-Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. F.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, with parts broken away, of the roll-back portion of the latch, and showing a modified form of the invention in the position in which the handle shaft is inserted.

' Fig. 8 shows the same in the normal secured relation with the pressure of the bolt applied to the roll-back.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 1() is a side view and Fig. 11 a top plan view of a modified handle shaft adapted to be locked against longitudinal Withdrawal when used with the modification shown in Figs. 7 to 9.

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of another modied form of the invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several ligures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the exemplary latch embodying the present improvements comprises a base plate 10, provided with a flange 11 at its forward end having a latch bolt opening 12 therein. The latch bolt 13 is slidably engaged at its nose end 14 in the opening 12, and is retained againstdisplacement by means of a cover plate 15 secured to the base plate. A coil spring 16 engaged with the inner end of the bolt normally presses it to its projected position.

At the rearward end of' the bolt there is provided an upwardly projecting vertical extension 17 engaged by the inner lhandle roll-back 18, the hub 19 of which has bearing in apertures 20 formed in the base and cover plates. A coil spring 21 having one end engaged with a lug 22 on the roll-back and its other end engaged with a lug'23 struck from the base plate yieldably retains the rollback in its normal position by engaging a projection 24 thereon with the lug 23.

The bolt is adapted to be actuated by the outside handle roll-back, presently to be more fully described, through engagement with an upwardly and forwardly projecting arm 25 formed on the bolt.

According to the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 6, the outside handle roll-back is formed of two parts 26 and 27, which -may be sheet metal stampin the lower portions having circular bearlng osses 28 and 29 pressed therefrom which rotatably engage openings 30 and 31 provided 1n the cover and base plates of the casing.

Square openings 32 and 33 are provided in the bearing portions 28 and 29 and are so arranged with respect to each other, as shown in Fig. 3, that when they are aligned one part of theroll back is projected with respect to the other. It is in this relation of the openings that the handle shaft 34 may be freely inserted, the bolt being retracted to permit the roll-back parts to move to a` point where the openings become aligned. In the normal projected position of the bolt, as shown in Fig. 5, the end of the arm 25 engages the projected part 26 of the roll back causing its opening 32 to be turned into binding engagement with the shaft 34. and in turn causing the shaft to be turned into binding engagement with the opening 33 of the other rollback part 27 which is limited by abutting engagement with the flange 11 of the casing. Thus irrespective of the degree of looseness of the roll-back in the openings when they are alignedfor insertion of the shaft, this looseness is taken up and there is provided a tight scissor1ike gripping relation between roll-back and the shaft preventing any looseness or rattling.

In Figs. 5.and 6 I have shown the handle shaft provided at its corners,and in spaced relation'to the end, with notches 35, and

which in the inserted relation of the shaft register with the bearing portion of the roll- A back part 26, so that as pressure is applied by the' bolt the sides of the opening 32 engage in' these notches. As clearly indicated in Fig. 5 these sides of the opening lie in front of the end shoulders of the notches, effectually preventing longitudinal withdrawal of the handle. It will be understood that this type of handle shaft will usually be placed `upon the front right door provided with an outside lock, the other doors having inside locks. I, In Figs. 7 to 11 I have shown a modified form of the invention in which the roll back comprising two parts 36 and 37, pivotally connected together at their upper ends, as at 38, the part 36 being projected at its right hand edge (as shown) relatively to the part 37 for engagement with the bolt extension arm 25, while the part 37 is projected atits left hand edge (as shown) for abutment with the fiange 11 of the casing.

Circular bearing bosses 39 and 40 are pressed from the lower portions of the parts 36 and 37 and are rotatably engaged in the the handle shaft 34 may be freely inserted.

Upon normal projection of the roll-back part 36, as shown in Fig. 8, at a. point below the pivot, causing the opening 41 to be swun into binding engagement with the shaft, and in turn causing the shaft to be pressed into binding engagement with the opening 42 of the roll-back part 37, which is limited by enf gagement with the flange 11 of the casing. Thus, irrespective of the degree of looseness of the roll back openings when they are aligned for insertion of the shaft, this loosef ness is taken up and there is provided a tight scissor-like gripping relation between the roll-back and the shaft, preventing any looseness or rattling.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown the handle shaft provided in one side with a notch 43 adapted to be lockingly engaged by one side of the opening 41 to prevent longitudinal withdrawal of the shaft.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a further modification' in which the roll-back 44 is of one piece construction having its hub 45 engaged in the openings 30 and 31 of the'cover and base plates of the casing. This rollback has the same contour as the part 26 of the first embodiment and its square opening 46 is in the :same relation as the opening 32.

A plate 47 is provided at the outer side of the cover plate, and is provided with a bearing boss 48 having bearing in an opening 49 of an auxiliary cover plate 50,v spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the casing'. The plate 47 has the same contour as the roll-back part 27 of the first form and its square opening 51 is in the same relation. In operation the roll back 44 engages the bolt extension 25 and the plate 47 engages the flange 11 in substantially the same manner as the parts 26 and' 27 engage in the first embodiment.

Obviously the notches 35 of the handle shaft, as shown in Fig. 6, would be arranged to register with the plate 47, when this type of shaft was employed. v

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a latch, a latch casing, a latch bolt,

roll-back means having a non-circular opening therethrough, stationary abutment means for limiting movement of said roll-back means in non-bolt-retracting direction, a handle shaft of non-circular cross section adapted to be inserted in said opening and disposed in said opening to permit relative movement of said roll-back means transversely of the longitudinal axis of said handle shaft, said opening being so arranged that pressure of said bolt on said roll-back means causes the sides of said opening to bind on said shaft.

2. In a latch, a latch casing, a latch bolt, a roll-back member for retracting said bolt having a non-circular opening therein, a handle shaft of non-circular cross-section adapted to be inserted in said roll-back opening, a member relatively movable with respect to-said roll-back member also having an opening of non-circular cross-section adapted to be longitudinally engaged by said handle shaft, stationary abutment means for limiting movement of said members in non-bolt-retracting direction; said handle shaft being disposed in the openings of said members to permit relative movement of said members transversely of the longitudinal axis of said handle shaft, said openings adapted to be aligned in one relative position of said members and adapted through pressure of said bolt to be moved out of alignment to cause binding contact olf tpe sides of said opening with said handle s a t.

3. In a latch, a latch casing, a latch bolt, a roll-back member for retracting said bolt having a non-circular opening therein, a handle shaft of non-circular cross-section adapted to be inserted in said roll-back opening, a member pivoted to said roll-back member at a point removed from its axis of rotation and also having an opening of non-circular cross-section adapted to be longitudinally engaged bv said handle shaft, said openings adapted to be aligned in one relative position of said members and' adapted through pressure of said bolt to be turned out of alignment to bring their sides into binding contact with said handle shaft.

4. In a latch, a latch casing, a latch bolt, roll-back means having a non-circular opening therethrough, stationary abutment means for limiting movement of said rollback means in non-bolt-retracting direction; a. handle shaft of non-circular cross-section adapted to be inserted in said opening and disposed i-n said opening to permit relative movement of said roll back means transversely of the longitudinal axis of said handle shaft, said opening being yso arranged that pressure of said bolt on said roll-back means causes the sides of said opening to bind on said shaft, said handle shaft having a shoulder adapted to be blocked by binding of the sides of said opening whereby longitudinal withdrawal of said shaft is prevented.

5. In a door latch, la case plate having a lateral flange, a normally projected latch bolt having a spring pressed shank on the case plate in the rear of said flange, an operating handle having a stem adjacent the case plate, and a rollback having cooperating sections on the stem and having offset portions respective-ly engaging said bolt shank and flange whereby said sections exert pressures in opposite directions against said stem when the latch bolt is in pro]ected position.

6. In a door latch, a case plate having a lateral flange, a handle stem substantially parallel to the flange, a normally projected latch bolt having a shank substantlally parallel to the case plate and urged toward the flange, and a sectional rollback 0n the stem and having the sections thereof engaging the fiange and shank respectively and exerting a pressure in opposite directions on the stem whereby play bet-Ween the sections and stem is eliminated when the bolt is in projected position.

7. In a door latch, a case plate having a lateral flange, a handle stem substantially parallel to the ange, a rollback having relatively movable sections on the stem, and a spring pressed bolt shank on the case plate, engaging one section of the rollback and causing the other section thereof to be pressed against the flange whereby play between said sections and between said sections and stem is eliminated.

8. A rollback having two sections arranged side by side having registering openings and overlapping arms with an edge of one arm offset relative to the adjacent edge of the other so as to engage a lateral flange of a case plate, and an ed e of the other arm offset relative to the ad]acent edge of the first mentioned arm so as to be engageable with a shoulder of a bolt shank, said sections being movable relative to one another whereby the openings may be moved out of registration by the engagement of said arms with the lateral flange of the case plate and the shoulder of the bolt shank respectively.

Signed at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 18 -day of September, 1930.

RAYMOND G. MOORE. 

